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Mass gatherings at major international sporting events put millions of international travelers and local host-country residents at risk of acquiring infectious diseases, including locally endemic infectious diseases. The mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently aroused global attention due to its rapid spread since its first detection in May 2015 in Brazil to 22 other countries and other territories in the Americas. The ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, has also been associated with a significant rise in the number of babies born with microcephaly and neurological disorders, and has been declared a ‘Global Emergency by the World Health Organization. This explosive spread of ZIKV in Brazil poses challenges for public health preparedness and surveillance for the Olympics and Paralympics which are due to be held in Rio De Janeiro in August, 2016. We review the epidemiology and clinical features of the current ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, highlight knowledge gaps, and review the public health implications of the current ZIKV outbreak in the Americas. We highlight the urgent need for a coordinated collaborative response for prevention and spread of infectious diseases with epidemic potential at mass gatherings events. Doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2016.02.001
Author(s): Eskild Petersena, Mary E. Wilsonb, Sok Touchc, Brian McCloskey, et al Originator(s): International Journal of Infectious DiseasesRapid spread of zika virus in the americas - implications for public health preparedness for mass gatherings at the 2016 brazil olympic games
Resource added in:
29/02/2016
Objective:
Discuss the global spread of Zika virus (ZIKA) since its first discovery in 1947 in Uganda to the current outbreak in the Americas, which was declared a "global emergency" by the World Health Organization.
• Highlight that ZIKA and other arboviruses may pose a threat to the participants of the 2016 Olympic Rio De Janeiro and Paralympic Games and residents in Brazil.
• To analyze the clinical characteristics and highlight the need for more accurate and rapid screening tests for ZIKA VIRUS
• Discuss the recent possible connection microcephaly in babies exposed to Zika virus in the womb, and highlight the gaps of knowledge in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of ZIKA VIRUS
• To review the public health implications of current ZIKA VIRUS outbreak and highlight the need for better proactive preparation and vigilance to all infectious diseases before, during and after the 2016 Olympic Games.
• To emphasize that there is no specific treatment available or preventive vaccines and the emergence of ZIKV shortly after the outbreak of Ebola, it is yet another warning sign of the urgent need for a coordinated global response for the prevention and spread of infectious diseases with epidemic potential mass demonstrations events.
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